His Future, Rewritten
by Dragon'sHost
Summary: Sequel to: "Rewriting The Future". Future Rogue and Natsu deal with the consequences of the present era Rogue's decision.


**This somehow turned into a trilogy. So here's part 2. I will work on part 3 but it might take me a while because it's a great deal longer.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail.**

* * *

Natsu twisted to the side, narrowly avoiding a tainted beam of light. He continued to dodge the attacks flying at him while trying to remain atop the flying dragon.

His steps faltered as Atlas Flame rammed Mother Glare, throwing him to the creature's rocky hide. The pink-haired man gripped the rough scales as the dragon shuddered and tilted madly.

Through his closed eyes, golden light filtered through. It no longer felt like he was flying, either – more like he was floating.

Screams sundered the sudden silence of the world, and Natsu's eyes shot open again. He knew that voice. "Luce!" Surging to his feet, he froze at the sight before him.

Atlas Flame and Mother Glare were glowing, particles of light rising from their bodies and dissipating into the night air. They hung, suspended in midair – no longer needing to fly to sustain their height. Future Rogue knelt on Mother Glare's back not far from where Natsu stood. Clutching his chest with a hand stained crimson.

The man's gaze rose to meet Natsu's, horror filling his single orb. Blood seeped through his fingers. "Someone killed him," he whispered, not quite believing what was happening to him. "The me of this era is dying."

Natsu's fists clenched. His thoughts immediately flew to the warning he'd given Ultear. Had the Time Arc Mage ignored him and gone after the Shadow Dragon Slayer?

From the vantage point of being dragon-back, Natsu cast about for the Sabertooth Mage. His heart dropped at the perfect view his location afforded. For there upon the ground, he spotted his best friend clutching the brunette with everything she had and sobbing. The blade gleaming beside her was telling.

No, there was no way Luce would have hurt Rogue! His future self may have killed her future self, but Lucy was a far better person than that!

Which left only one other culprit.

Rogue himself.

"WENDY!" Natsu heard Lucy wail despondently at the sky. "WENDY! PLEASE, HELP US! SAVE HIM! WENDY!"

Liquid coursed down the Fire Dragon Slayer's cheeks. No. This wasn't possible. This couldn't be happening. Did Rogue really…?

"Why did he do that?" Future Rogue hissed, trying to force himself to stand. He had observed the same things as Natsu. "That idiot! Everything could have been ours! Happiness was in our grasp!"

Those words snapped something inside of Natsu. Growling, he rushed the other Dragon Slayer and held the man up by the tattered remnants of his clothes. "How dare you!" Natsu roared in Future Rogue's face. "He's a far different person than you! A better one!" He ground his forehead against his adversary's. "YOU chose to sacrifice the happiness and futures of your friends to benefit your own. But OUR Rogue saved theirs at the cost of his own!"

"As I said…" Future Rogue released the wound on his chest – he couldn't feel the pain his counterpart was enduring and there was little point in trying to stem the bloodflow. "How foolish of him." He was going to die. No, that was incorrect. He would soon cease to ever be. The dragons were already disappearing, too. All that he had worked towards, all the years he had struggled through, and everything that he'd wanted would soon become completely and utterly pointless.

"This is all your damn fault!" Natsu yelled, the pupils in his eyes narrowing to slits. "If you hadn't tried to rewrite the past, he could have had a future!"

"Don't you get it?!" Future Rogue shoved Natsu away. In his grief, Natsu couldn't keep a firm grip on him. "_There is no future!_ That's why I came in the first place!"

"_**WENDY!"**_ Lucy's disconsolate cry echoed amongst the devastation. The girl continued to howl for her teammate without pause.

"Why?! Why does she even fucking care?!" the words tore violently free of Future Rogue's throat.

Not to be deterred in his rage and sorrow, Natsu threw a punch at the man. His fist collided with the Dragon Slayer's face with no resistance, knocking him down. Fresh tears did not make it far down his cheeks, steaming away upon contact with his superheated flesh. "Because he just proved that he isn't you!"

He stood over Future Rogue, his chest heaving with emotion. "He should have waited!" Natsu held a hand to his face and choked back a sob. "Why didn't he wait?! Why didn't he ask us for help?! You don't die for your friends, you live for them!" The pinkette lowered his hand and glowered at Future Rogue. "What happened to you to make you change so much? I don't buy that crap excuse about time! Time changes nothing! We change! What does Frosch think about what you're doing, huh?!"

"Frosch is dead."

The energy drained from Natsu at the matter-of-fact statement. "Frosch… dies?"

"About a year from now. I couldn't take it. So I let my shadows consume me."

This broke Natsu's heart in ways he couldn't describe. If he ever lost Happy it would shatter his soul into pieces… but Fairy Tail would always be there to help him stitch the remnants back together. He wouldn't lose himself like this man had. "Why didn't you ask your friends for help? Your friends are the ones who help you to face and defeat your inner monsters."

Future Rogue let out a harsh, bitter laugh full of despair. "_My friends are the ones who put them there!"_

The wails coming from Lucy had changed during the exchange. Now she was screaming and pleading with Rogue, begging him not to die. Natsu was certain that if he could hear souls, this would be what one sounded like when it shattered.

Future Rogue had made no move to rise again during his argument with Natsu. "Get off the dragon before it disappears entirely," he said, laying down. "You'll fall otherwise." Another short laugh escaped him. "Although I suppose it doesn't matter either way. My past self just doomed this world to Acnologia's depredations. It doesn't fucking matter anymore."

Natsu shook his head, but made his way up the dragon's neck to find a place to safely jump down. "You're wrong, Rogue. Of course it matters. All our choices do."

With that, he left the dying man to experience his final moments in peace.

As he stared up at the blood-red moon and the motes of golden light ascending towards the stars, Future Rogue waited for his end to come. This was not how he expected to go out.

Was it just him, or did it almost feel like he was watching a sunrise?

He had always liked those.

* * *

Opening his eyes, Future Rogue peered at the sky. Something was off. For one, the yawning blue expanse was bright and clear. It was no longer night, but full day.

Tall stalks of golden grass swished softly next to him in a gentle breeze.

For the first time in a very long time, he felt content.

A pale hand appeared amongst the grass – extended out to him.

Future Rogue eyed the limb, the back of the hand emblazoned with a pink Fairy Tail symbol.

He reached out and grasped it.

* * *

**End of part 2. The final part will be much longer. Please review and let me know what you think.**


End file.
